Faze Magazine’s Be Extraordinary Event + Giveaway

What I love about Faze, (the company I’ve been interning at for the past year and a half) is that they don’t only create great magazines for teens and young adults in Canada, but they also host amazing events for girls in Toronto! Every live Faze event usually includes celebrity guests and performers, hair and make-up stations, inspiring public speakers and of course prizes and swag bags! Their last event, on November 3, had an added super-fun element: a fashion show! Students who aspire to be stylists from school’s in the Greater Toronto Area put together a number of different looks for varying occasions. From the concertgoer to life of the party to the athlete, every style was covered!

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Each look was judged by a panel of professionals including celebrity stylist and make-up artist Paul Venoit, fashion industry expert Gail McInnes, Degrassi star Jessica Tyler, fashion designer Cara Cheung, fashion expert Annie-Claude Touzin and Faze superstylist Carolee Custus.

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While the fashion show was a sight to see, singers and musicians including Vita Chambers, Tyler Shaw and Max Rivers gave performances that were amazing to hear.

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You may enter a Faze event empty handed but that’s definitely not how you leave. With so many amazing on-stage prizes ($400 Sennheiser headphones, hello!) every girl is bound to feel like it’s Christmas already. Upon leaving, attendees were also handed amazing swag bags with some of the hottest products.

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Luckily for you readers, I’m giving away a SUPER swag bag, valued at over $75 that consists of not only Faze swag from this event but events that passed.

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This amazing swag bag worth over $75 contains:
-Your choice of a copy of Faze Magazine (choose from Shay Mitchell, Ed Sheeran, Cody Simpson, Marianas Trench, Austin Mahone, Olly Murs and Shawn Desman)
-Covergirl flamed out mascara, shadow pot eyeshadow and smoochies lip balm
-New York Color curling mascara, duo eyeliner, liquid lipshine, city proof lipgloss, IndividualEyes eyeshadow, Sun n’Bronze bronzing powder, Smooth Skin perfecting primer and Color Wheel mosaic face powder
-2 imPRESS press-on manicure sets
-BCBGeneration key chain
-Goody clip-in hair chain
-2 So…? body fragrances in Kiss Me and Fab
-Bath and Body Works Japanese Cherry Blossom body lotion
-Almay intense i-color shadow stick
-Forever 21 earrings
-Charlotte Russe necklace
-Mod de Dim tights
-Broadway real life nails
-Fashion Diva nail kit

Entering is easy and takes two simple steps. Contest open worldwide. No purchase necessary.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more pictures from Faze’s Be Extraordinary event be sure to check out their website faze.ca.

How to get over a (band) breakup

One day everything is great. Your speakers are on full blast, your dance moves have no limits and your voice is at its highest level singing along to the lyrics. You’ve got tickets to see your favorite band next week. The outfit has been picked, lyrics have been memorized, signs have been made. You’re overcome with joy and happiness and nothing will come in the way of your perfect day.

Until suddenly a tour is cancelled, a twitter account is deleted and the band falls silent. Your heart shatters and your world breaks. What. Is. Going On. Band break-ups are hard for everyone: the band itself, its label, management team, fans, venues, and even the media who have to work extra hours to give readers the latest breaking news.

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But alas, here are some tips to help get your through this tough time:

1. Don’t believe rumors.
Drug abuse, violent arguments and baby barriers: the media will publish any crazy but completely untrue facts to help satisfy fans. Unless it’s from a reputable source or heard on live TV (thanks Good Morning America) from the band member’s mouthes themselves, don’t trust anything you read on the internet. It’ll only make you more upset and confused.

2. Control your emotions.
Speaking of being upset and confused, you may be feeling a crazy mix of emotions that range from anger to sadness to even denial. It’s completely normal, but what you don’t want to do is start ripping off posters from your wall and throwing them into the fireplace to burn while you scream your hatred towards the group you once loved. While the band may not reveal all of the details to the press about the reasons behind their decision, remember that they’re humans just like you. They get into disagreements, they lose interest, they want to try something new and they’re millionaires who ride Mustangs. Just believe that they’re always thinking of their fans and doing what’s best.

3. Find a support (Facebook) group.
Your mom might think your crazy and your best friend may think you’re annoying. The thing is, they just don’t understand what you’re going through. That’s why it’s crucial and so helpful to find other superfans like yourself whether it’s on facebook, tumblr or twitter. These fans have been there since the first album, been to every tour and know everything and anything about the band mates. You can relate to them and bond over this shocking news.

4. Reminisce on the good times.
Instead of focusing on all the “never’s” like how you’ll never hear a new song and never attend another concert, take this time to think about all the great times you’ve had with the band. All the new friends you’ve made because of them, moments you’ve shared while listening to their songs, voices you’ve lost from screaming and concerts that gave you post-concert-depression. It’s been a wild ride, and it was bound to happen sooner or later, though of course later (like when you’re old and grey) would have been the better option. But hey, as those pictures with a vintage background that has nothing to do with the quote on tumblr say, “life doesn’t always go your way.”

5. It’s okay to find a rebound band, just not a replacement.
There’s no denying that music has always been the best tool to get you through the tough times. So don’t stop using it now. For some, listening to totally new bands and albums will help to put this sad band breakup news at the back of their mind, while others may prefer having an album listening marathon of the band that’s no more. It’s really up to you but there’s no need to completely disown them.

In conclusion all of the above are lies. You’ll. Never. Ever. Get. Over. The. Jonas. Brothers. Your. Fav. Band. Breaking. Up. Ever. So grab a tub of ice cream (preferably birthday cake flavored, have you not been to Cold Stone?), a box of tissues and all of your live tour DVDs and just mope around for a few days. It’s not the end of the world, just a great part of your life. Who knows, the band may even release four new songs just for you!

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–@Naomi_ML

Reunited with Motorola: Rogers Moto X

They say you never forget your first cellphone and it’s true. I still remember the day my dad brought it home.  I was an anxious 13-year-old, desperate to get my hands on one of those cool portable devices that would allow me to send instant text messages to my friends and talk to them without my mom going “hello, who’s on the phone? I neeeeeed it.” during the middle of a conversation. This cellphone was long overdue; by now everyone already had one and I had been begging for my own for months on end. My dad finally came home with one of the most popular phones (at least amongst my eighth grade class), the Motorola V360, and it was perfect.

Fast forward three years, and I upgraded to what was the sleek, incredibly thin and even better looking Motorola Krzr. It was THE phone to have. And while I had a blast with my flip phones, sharing many conversations, winky faces and “wut r u doing 2day?” texts, soon the era of smartphones came, and well frankly, my relationship with Motorola was put on the back burner.

I had a great relationship with Blackberry, before I took a bite of Apple and switched to the iPhone 5 which I’m currently using. But today I’ve been fortunate enough, thanks to Rogers, to reunite with my first cellphone love: Motorola.

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The Moto X is available only at Rogers, and offers touchless control, an active display and a quick capture camera among its list of impressing features. What does that mean?
“Talk to it, and it learns your voice. With a twist of your wrist, it becomes your camera and gets the shots you’d otherwise miss and it tells you what you need to know—even when you’re not touching it.”

See for yourself:

Now I’m very much attached to my iPhone and I’ve always been an Apple person, but I’m ready to switch over and take on the 60-day Moto X Challenge (aka a challenge I’ve presented myself with where I’ll be completely dedicated to this Moto X). Change is not something I usually enjoy, but with this device, it’s one I’m welcoming with open arms and ready thumbs! I’ve only just begun to play with this new toy, but one thing’s for sure, the camera quality is stunning and I can’t wait to capture memories. I’ll definitely update you at the end of my 60-day challenge to let you know if I’ll be sticking with the Moto X or switching back to the iPhone 5.

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–@Naomi_ML

Style Shoot with The Next Star judges

On Friday, May 17 I was on set of the Faze Magazine summer style shoot with The Next Star Judges as the models! It was a long, but fun-filled day, and while my main duty was the behind-the-scenes videographer, I was able to grab some great photos as well:
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Most of the gorgeous jewelry brought in by the stylist was from H&M and Topshop!IMG_9629

While all of the shoes were drool worthy, my favourite pair had to be the black and gold heels from Steve Madden (first row, third from the left) which is no surprise since my weakness lately has been studs! IMG_9630

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